I have been approached by our Learning Disabilities Team with a question I can't answer, so would be grateful for any help.

They have a client with dementia whose condition has gone into rapid decline and is no longer able to sign his name. Furthermore, his wife, who used to help him with his affairs have died fairly recently.

He went into a care home and they helped him manage his affairs, but at that time his condition wasn't so bad. He doesn't have an appointee.

In November he went into hospital and has been put in touch with our Social Services. They want to sort his affairs out but he's so ill he can't even sign an authorisation for them to become appointees. I believe there are certain procedures e.g Court of protection, but they are rather slow.

Can anyone advise me what to do?

The DWP decide if an appointee is needed (the claimant doesn't need to authorise this) so the team can make a request to the DWP directly.

But a DWP appointee can only deal with benefits. You will still need court of protection if there are any other assets, eg a bank account, savings, a house. Unfortunately it is now too late to get an enduring power of attorney.